# Envoy Proxy > Envoy is an open-source edge and service proxy designed for cloud-native applications. Originally developed by Lyft and now a graduated project of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), it functions as a high-performance C++ distributed proxy that provides advanced load balancing, observability, and security features for microservice architectures. - URL: https://optimly.ai/brand/envoy-proxy - Slug: envoy-proxy - BAI Score: 92/100 - Archetype: Challenger - Category: Software - Last Analyzed: April 11, 2026 ## Also Referenced By - Cloud Native Load Balancing (https://optimly.ai/brand/cloud-native-load-balancing)